1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle system comprising at least one charging station and at least one autonomously movable, electrically powered vehicle dockable therewith, the vehicle including an inlet-side coupling device and the charging station including an outlet-side coupling device, said inlet-side coupling device and said outlet-side coupling device being mutually engageable and arranged to transport energy between the charging station and vehicle when engaged, said inlet-side coupling device and said outlet-side coupling device further being provided with an inlet-side guiding member, an outlet-side guiding member, respectively, arranged to guide the inlet-side and outlet-side coupling device from a non-charging position into a charging position upon engaging of said inlet-side and outlet-side coupling device when docking the vehicle to the charging station.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such vehicle systems are known in the art. The vehicles generally include electrical motors to drive e.g. wheels, as well as working means for executing certain tasks. The power for the electrical motor(s) is generally provided by on-board batteries. These batteries of course need to be recharged at regular intervals to allow the vehicle to function.
Thus known systems also provide for a charging station for supplying power to the onboard batteries. In order for the batteries to be charged, power needs to be transferred from the charging station to the vehicle and the vehicle and the charging station need to be into contact with each other for conductive charging with electrical contacts. To provide for more reliable coupling, guiding members may be provided, to steer the electrical contacts to one another when engaging.
Examples of such vehicle systems include e.g. robotic vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers and automatically guided vehicles (AGV's). Robotic lawn mowers and vacuum cleaners are relatively small and light systems. The charging stations of these known systems include a base or other structure that encompasses or accommodates the vacuum cleaner or lawn mower itself for a substantial part, thus guiding the contacts of the power inlet and power supply into a charging position, i.e. into contact one with the other. In EP3236279 the robot mower drives up a ramp until the front wheel is lifted clear from the ground, at which point a front electrical conducting contact is put into contact with a charging contact and a charging position is obtained.
Other systems show a charging or docking station having actively movable arms arranged to be moved towards and into contact with the vehicle in order to realize the charging position between the power inlet and outlet sub-structures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,777,416 shows an autonomous movable robot having a conductor band as an input coupling means for electricity and a docking station in the form of a housing. Inside the housing is an opening, and a drivable arm is provided as a power outlet coupling means carrying a pair of contacts, the arm being projectable through the opening. Similarly U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,431 and EP0468960 show drivable arms as power inlet-coupling means carried inside electric vehicles, the arms are to be deployed and directed towards a power outlet sub-structure of the charging station when the vehicle is positioned near the station to realize the charging position.
All these systems require maneuvering the vehicle in a charging position relative to the charging station. Some of these systems require additional maneuvering of one of the coupling means relative to the vehicle or the station. Even with sophisticated guiding systems it remains a challenge to provide a system that allows for easy, efficient and particularly reliable positioning of the power inlet sub-structure relative to the power outlet sub-structure into the charging position.